New Castle determined to keep resurgence going strong

By: Antonio Rossetti
Saturday, August 9, 2025 | 6:01 AM

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Last season, coach Fred Mozzocio came into New Castle, where he played in the 1980s, and wanted to deliver awesome football to the community.

The Red Hurricanes were 1-9 two seasons ago, but “Coach Mo” got New Castle sailing in the right direction with a 5-4 season last year. The Red Hurricanes won their first four games but came up just short of the playoffs.

Chase Lemmon, the team’s slot receiver who tallied 393 receiving yards, seven touchdowns and a team-leading 34 receptions, wants more. Although they improved, the Red Hurricanes won’t be satisfied until they’re in the playoffs.

“None of us are pleased with 5-4,” Lemmon said. “We didn’t make the playoffs last year. We still have to beat some of those powerhouses like Montour, Aliquippa and West A. We didn’t beat one of them last year, so this year, we’re thirsty. We’re hungry. We can’t wait.”

Mozzocio knows how competitive the Parkway West Conference can be. He and the players don’t shy away from competition.

“This is a competitive sport,” Mozzocio said. “It’s a physical sport, it’s a brutal sport, but if you’re not in it to win and beat the best, then you should be in another business. We’re looking forward to competing against everybody. It’s a great challenge for us, but at the same time, we look forward to it. We want to become one of those teams that, when people look at their schedules, they don’t want to play us either.”

Mozzocio said his seniors all knew what was expected of them this offseason and it’s been no nonsense. The players remained focused for the season.

“They’re definitely motivated,” Mozzocio said. “They’re not in it just to win a couple football games. We’re looking to make some noise, become a playoff team, and once we get into the playoffs, become a contender. That’s what they’ve worked for in the offseason. There’s a strong mindset there, a strong mentality to get to that level, and it showed throughout the winter, throughout the spring and summer.”

One of those motivated players is returning conference defensive lineman of the year Jayden Shaffer.

“He’s 6-3, 235 pounds, and has lightning speed coming off the edge,” Mozzocio said. “He does a great job for us defensively and also plays offensive tackle for us. We’re expecting big things out of him again, and we’re expecting him to garner some big attention after the first few games.”

Shaffer can’t wait to take the field. He mentioned the depth of the Red Hurricanes.

“We’re armed to the teeth,” the senior lineman said. “We’ve got a couple guys. Mason Cook, when he comes down and hits you, you’re going to feel it. Qualin Davis, he’s a ballhawk, and DJ Gordon, y’all haven’t heard a lot from him last year, but you’ll definitely hear him this year.”

Lemmon sees a feisty, quick and motivated defense. He said Davis, a senior, will play a key role in the secondary and he has high hopes for Shaffer, Gordon, a junior defensive end, and senior linebacker Mason Cook. Cook was an all-conference linebacker last season.

“Jayden will get back here all the time putting pressure on the quarterback being tackled for loss,” Lemmon said. “Mason Cook, he’ll hit you hard. I mean, I watched his Hudl. There’s not one play where he’s not hitting somebody super hard. Our secondary, we’re all athletic, fast, so I think we’re going to be electric.”

The New Castle defense isn’t the only thing opponents need to prepare for. The offense also looks to be dynamic.

Last season, the Red Hurricanes tallied over 40 points four times. New Castle has the arsenal to do it again.

“We have guys that can break some big plays for us at all positions, so that’s always a positive,” Mozzocio said. “Speed kills, as they say. When you have it on your side, it’s a positive. We try to use it and make it an effective weapon for us.”

Lemmon will be the slot receiver.

“He’s one of the best slot receivers in the WPIAL, bar none,” Mozzocio said. “He’s very dynamic, he’s a hard worker, he’s tough to get your hands on, and he has excellent hands and ball skills, so we’re very excited about him.”

Mozzocio added that sophomore Kai Cox, who led the Red Hurricanes to the WPIAL finals in basketball last season, will be a key target. He mentioned that he’s had an outstanding summer.

Senior Damian Harrison and Cook are receivers that he said can go up and get the ball.

Harrison also was a big part for the hoops team but will have just as big of an impact in football at wide receiver. Shaffer is confident in the receiving group.

“Kai Cox, he’s just an athlete,” Shaffer said. “He’s going to go up and get it, come down with it and score. Damian Harrison is a deep threat. Any time it is up there, I know Dame’s coming down with it.”

As for quarterback, there will be a new starter this season.

Freshman Marino Graham and senior Travis Whetzel are battling it out to step in for Kyrell Harris, who was the senior quarterback last season who tallied 1,191 passing yards, 15 touchdown tosses and five interceptions.

“They’re taking the majority of the reps and we’ve done a lot of work 7-on-7,” Mozzocio said. “We’ve been all over the place, especially in the month of June, and just trying to settle in. Once the pads come on, that will take care of itself.”

Mozzocio described the play styles of his quarterbacks.

“Travis is more of a traditional, straight dropback type guy, per se,” Mozzocio said. “Marino is more of a grinder as far as the QB run goes. Marino is more of a Kyrell-type kid. He’s a lefty as well. He can throw the football, and he can run the football. We look for him to be dangerous in the future.”

Lemmon is excited for both QBs and can’t wait to catch some passes from them in game.

“I have faith in them,” Lemmon said. “I believe they’re both great athletes, and I believe they can both do their job for us this year and get it done.”

Sophomores Jermaine Walker and Dallas Lyles and freshman Reece Moore are at running back. Walker tallied 242 yards and two touchdowns last season as the Hurricanes’ second tailback behind Kaevon Garner, but will bump into the starting role.

“We have some playmakers on offense,” Lemmon said. “We have Qualin, Damian Harrison. He’ll catch every jump ball, and I haven’t seen him drop a jump ball yet. We’ve got a running back. He’s a sophomore this year, but he did a real good job last year with Kaevon with that 1-2 punch. Jermaine Walker, but we call him ‘Mister.’ I’ve never seen him lose yards. When he gets the ball, he’s going to go forward. He’s going to get you some yards.”

Shaffer and the senior class are confident in their leadership.

“We’ve had solid leadership throughout the whole team,” Shaffer said. “We got some people that lead more by example, like Chase and I, and then other players are more vocal leaders, like Mason, Travis and Qualin. And then on top of that, we got Coach Mo. He’s a great leader who we all look up to, and he helps us keep our cool in the heat of the moment.”

He added that he is always fired up by Mozzocio’s pep talks he gives every day.

New Castle is known for football with 11 WPIAL titles. Both Shaffer and Lemmon on and off the field want to put on a show for the community that loves the game.

“We’re only going to improve from there, improve on the mistakes we made last year,” Shaffer said. “Hopefully, we will bring back the New Castle that everybody knows. We have great coaches pushing us every day to be better, not only on the field, but off the field too.”

Mozzocio is ready to go.

“We’re going to put a product out on the field that New Castle can be proud of,” Mozzocio said. “We’re going to play with unbridled emotion and play with everything we have every game. Effort will never be questioned. We’ll play as hard as we can, and with that, hopefully a lot of wins will follow.”

New Castle

Coach: Fred Mozzocio

2024 record: 5-4, 1-4 in Class 4A Parkway Conference

All-time record: 760-441-69

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.22 Penn Hills, 7

8.29 at Hopewell, 7

9.5 at Highlands, 7

9.12 Yough, 7

9.19 at Knoch, 7

9.26 Aliquippa*, 7

10.3 Montour*, 7

10.10 West Allegheny*, 7

10.17 at Ambridge*, 7

10.24 at Blackhawk*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Kyrell Harris*

80-145, 1,191 yards, 15 TDs

Rushing: Kaevon Gardner*

88-715 yards, 12 TDs

Receiving: Nate McKnight*

20-599 yards, 8 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• New Castle has the third-most WPIAL titles with 11. The last championship came in 1998.

• New Castle has had 12 players make it to the NFL. Malik Hooker and Geno Stone are both current players as Hooker plays for the Colts and Stone plays for the Ravens. Bruce Clark, Sam Manos, Rick Razzano, Bill McPeak, Lindy Lauro, Mike Roussos, Ben Ciccone, Alec Shellogg, Paul Cuba and Nick DeCarbo also made the league.

• New Castle became one of the first high school teams to play under the lights in 1929 when they installed lights at Franklin Field, which is now known as Taggart Stadium.

• Slot receiver Chase Lemmon said he scored 27 touchdowns as a fourth grader as a running back.

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